Motor vehicle electrical system



July 18, 1950 J. P. BQURNE, JR 2,515,819

l MOTOR VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed April 20, 1946 AT TDR/VE Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in motor vehicle electrical systems and has particular reference' to the introduction of a control means for completely controlling all of the electrical circuits in the entire system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a manually operative auxiliary switch in the electrical system of a motor vehicle and to position the said switch in proximity to the storage battery and its terminals, whereby the battery current leading from and conveyed to all of the various circuits in the system can be severed when the vehicle is not in operation and to thus positively eliminate any and all possibility of any part of the electrical system from becoming short circuited when the vehicle is not in operation, is in storage, or being worked upon.

Another object oi the present invention is to provide an especially constructed device for controlling the said switch from the switchboard of the vehicle.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described that is simple in construction, durable, economical to manufacture and easy to install and operate.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification and wherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a conventional motor vehicle electrical system and illustrates the storage battery, the various electrical circuits that lead therefrom and the improved switch that is positioned in proximity to said battery for controlling all of the said circuits,

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken through the switch box and illustrates in diagrammatic form, the construction provided for operating the switch,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the switchboard and shows the switch control medlum mounted thereon, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in direction of the arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawing and to the numerals thereof wherein the principle of the invention is disclosed, the numeral 6 designates the storage battery or container, the numeral 1 the ground terminal and the numeral 8 the supply line leading from the said battery and into the switch box 9. The numeral I designates a contnuation of the said supply line leading from the said switch box 9 and to the starter Il and from which all of the various lines in the entire system lead, numerals I2, I3, I4 and I5 designating various lines leading from the said main line ID to the instrument board I6, where conventional switches l1, I8, I9 and 20, respectively, are provided for controlling the same. Each of the said lines I2, I3, I4 and I5 form conventional electrical circuits, whereby electrical energy is supplied from the battery to the various electrically operated elements such as the starter, the ignition system, lights, wind shield wiper, radio, etc.

The construction provided for controlling the supply of electrical energy to the said various circuits is shown as comprising an electrical switch 9 positioned in the supply line directly adjacent the storage battery 6 and an especially constructed medium for operating the said switch from the instrument board of the vehicle. The electric conductors 8 and I0 are conventional insulated conductors having metal ends '2l and 22 held in proximity to each other as shown in Fig. 2. A metal lever 23, having a projection 24 is adapted to electrically connect the said ends together, the said lever being pivotally supported within the switch box as at 25 and resilently held closed against the said conductor ends 2| and 22 by the curved spring 26. A flexible wire or suitable cord 21 is connected to the lever as at 28 and extends therefrom to a miniature drum '29 and is connected thereto and is revolvably supported in the instrument board I6, the said drum 29 being fixed to a spindle 3D extending from an adjustable knob 3l. A pawl 32 slidably supported within the said knob as at 33 engages the gear ring 34 which is xed to the instrument board I6 by suitable screws 35, the said bolt being resiliently held in looked position by the coil spring 36. It will thus be seen that when it is desired to open the switch and sever the current supplied to the various circuits in the system the said pawl 32 is released and the knob 3 I' turned to the right which will wind the cord 21 around the pulley 29 and raise the lever 23. An idler wheel 31 or any suitable number of idler wheels may be provided to properly guide the cord 21 to the pulley 29, the said cord extending through the vehicle frame 38. The numerals 39 and 40 designate holes for accommodating suitable screws, whereby the switch can be secured to the frame or any suitable portion of the vehicle.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it will be obvious that when the resilient pawl 32 slidably positioned in the knob 3 I, as shown to advantage in Figs. 3 and 4, is pulled downwardly the said knob and drum 29 fixed thereto will be released from the ring gear 34, which ring gear is xed to the dashboard IB by the screws 35. The releasing of the knob 3l from the ring gear 34 permits the knob to be turned, whereby circular movement will be imparted to the drum 29 causing the cable 2l to be wound thereon, which action will lift the lever 23 and raise the lever projection 24 away from the electric metal terminals 2| and 22, thus breaking the insulated master supply line sections designated by the numerals 8 and I0. The pawl 32 can be locked in the ring gear 34 for retaining the lever in its upper position, whereby the metal terminals 2l and 22 will remain disconnected until it is desired to r'e-'con neet the same. This reconnection is accomplished by releasing the pawl and turning the knobback to its normal position.

It is to be understood that the form' of the invention 'herewith-shown and described is to be taken fas' a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted tol without departing `from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

`Heu/fing thus described my invention, I claim:

In combina-tion with the dashboard of an automobile, a 'motor electrical system comprising a storage battery, an electrical supply line leading therefrom, a switch in the supply line to disconnect the battery `from all load devices, the said switch "embodyingV in its construction a switch whereby the said terminals in the switch box are disconnected., and means including a ring gear fixed to the dash board and a resiliently controlled pawl slidable in the knob for retaining the knob 4and drum in different locked positions for controlling the said switch lever.

JOHN P. BOURNE, JR.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the le of this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date f l-,iZSg'lZB Wassman et al. 1 Sept. 12, 1922 1,654,459? Blake l Dec. 27, 1927 2,244,065 Hughes et al. \June 3, 1941i FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain f Apr. 26, 1939 

